Man in stolen vehicle dies after head-on crash during chase

HESPERIA — Authorities said a man who led Sheriff’s deputies on a brief pursuit in a stolen vehicle died after he crashed into another vehicle during the chase early Monday.

The chase, which began near Main Street and Eleventh Avenue Monday morning, ended in a crash that left two people hospitalized and the suspect dead.

The suspect, described as a 26-year-old Victorville man, was driving a teal Honda Civic reported stolen the day before. Authorities said the pursuit lasted less than a minute before the suspect drove directly into the path of oncoming traffic and caused a head-on collision.

A Hesperia Sheriff’s Station deputy saw the suspect in the Civic “speeding westbound on Main Street” and initiated a traffic stop. The suspect pulled into the parking lot of the Rite Aid at the intersection of Main Street and Eleventh Avenue “as if he was going to yield,” authorities said, but instead drove through the parking lot and onto Eleventh Avenue at a high rate of speed.

As the man approached Willow Street, he went around another vehicle and swerved into the southbound lane, where he collided head-on with a black Volkswagen Jetta, authorities said.

The suspect was pronounced dead at the scene. His identity is being withheld pending notification of next of kin.

The driver of the Jetta, identified as Ana Ramirez de Franco, 49, and Jose Barba Franco, 44, both of Hesperia, suffered injuries and were airlifted to local hospitals for treatment. The couple remains hospitalized, authorities said, but further details on their condition weren’t available Monday evening.

The Honda Civic driven by the suspect was confirmed to have been reported stolen out of Victorville on Sunday, authorities said.

Authorities shut down the intersection of Willow Street and Eleventh Avenue, as well as surrounding roadways, shortly after the incident. All roads were open at 3:24 p.m., authorities said.

The Hesperia Sheriff’s station Major Accident Investigation Team is conducting the investigation.

Anyone with information regarding this incident is urged to contact the Hesperia Sheriff’s station at 760-947-1500. Persons wishing to remain anonymous can contact the We-Tip Hotline at 1-800-782-7463 or online at www.wetip.com.